Sunshine is the forecast for Arab science journalism

Aisling IrwinNews and features editor, SciDev.Net

It’s not just people who were liberated during this year’s Egyptian revolution, according to Prof Abdelhamid El-Zoheiry, one of the country’s scientific luminaries and executive director of its Research, Development and Innovation programme.

Science was liberated too.

The scientific spirit is moving, he said in opening remarks to the conference. Scientists are newly inspired: “In the spirit of the revolution they are trying to work harder,” he said.

And key to making these changes stick are science journalists, he said, surveying the over 700 delegates before him, half of whom are from developing countries — a first for a world conference of science journalists.

They have both exciting opportunities and an obligation to help change the basic culture to one that embraces science and innovation, he said.

“The wind of change promises a gentle summer breeze and sunny days for science journalism in the region.”